Filler element for filling containers with a liquid fill material, and filling machine

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a filling element of a filling machine for filling cans, bottles, or similar containers ( 2 ) with a liquid fill material, having at least one dispensing opening ( 8 ) for directing the liquid fill material into each container through a container opening ( 2.1 ) forming an opening edge, having at least one container contact surface ( 14 ) for the opening edge at a tulip ( 13, 13   a   , 13   b ) displaceable on a filling element housing ( 6 ) between a raised starting position and a lowered position, and having means for moving the tulip between the starting position and the lowered position and for pressing the tulip against the opening edge of each container with a contact pressure.

The invention relates to a filler element according to the preamble of Claim 1. In addition, the invention relates to a filling machine of the rotating type according to the preamble of Claim 17.

Especially in the case of filling machines of the rotating type for the filling of containers in the form of cans, it is usual to design the corresponding filler elements on their underside, having the discharge opening for the controlled discharge of the liquid product into the containers, with so-called “tulips”, which are provided on the relevant filler element so as to be axially displaceable, i.e. in the direction of the vertical filler element axis, and have a container contact surface formed by at least one seal. The tulips, in this case, are moveable between a raised initial position, in which the container contact surface is situated at a spacing above the opening of each container located at the filler element, and a lowered position, in which, in particular for a pressure filling, the container contact surface abuts in a sealed manner against the opening edge of the container surrounding the container opening.

The raising and lowering or the moving of the respective tulip between the initial position and the lowered position is effected in the case of known filling machines and their filler elements in a cam-controlled manner, in particular in this case the contact pressure is also generated in a cam-controlled manner. For this reason each filler element is realized with a control or lifting rod, which is oriented with its longitudinal extension parallel to the filler element axis and is guided at the filler element so as to be displaceable in this axis. The bottom end of the control or lifting rod is connected to the tulip of the filler element. A cam or control roller is mounted so as to be freely rotatable at the top end of the control or lifting rod, said cam or control roller interacting with a fixed control cam, i.e. not rotating with the rotor of the filling machine. Said control or lifting rod is tensioned in a preliminary manner by means of spring means acting directly on the control or lifting rod and consequently the tulip is also tensioned in a preliminary manner into the raised position. Through the control cam interacting with the control roller, the control or lifting rod and consequently also the tulip are moved into the lowered position in opposition to the effect of the spring means.

One disadvantage, among others, is that the design of the filler elements is relatively complicated and time-consuming mechanically, consequently is expensive and also subject to abrasive wear. A further disadvantage is that the contact forces with which the tulips of the filling machine abut against the respective container in the region of the container mouth are path-determined, i.e. said contact forces at tolerances, in particular also at tolerances determined by abrasive wear, can be different from filler element to filler element and this can result in a not inconsiderable impairment to the method of operation of a filling machine. In any case, it not possible in the case of the known filling machines (only by spending non justifiable amounts of money and time) to regulate or adjust the contact pressure with which the tulips abut against the respective containers to be filled, i.e. it is particularly also not possible to adapt the contact pressure to the respective fill pressure, which is dependent, among other things, on the liquid pressure and/or to the mechanical characteristics or to the mechanical strength of the containers.

It is the object of the invention to provide a filler element, which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages and which, with a simplified design and a high level of operational reliability, makes it possible for optimum pressing of the container contact surface formed at the tulip against the respective container during the filling process. This object is achieved by a filler element corresponding to Claim 1. A filling machine with a plurality of these types of filler elements is the object of Claim 17.

A distinct feature of the invention is that the respective tulip is at the same time part of a piston-cylinder arrangement, the cylinder chamber of which can be impinged upon with the pressure of a pressure medium, preferably a compressible pressure medium, namely with the pressure of a vaporous or gaseous pressure medium, at least to generate the contact force or the contact pressure at which the container contact surface of the tulip, formed, for example, by at least one seal, is pressable against the opening or mouth edge of the respective container. In the case of a preferred embodiment of the invention, distinguished by a particularly simplified design, the respective tulips or part portion of said tulips are realized as an annular piston, which is then guided so as to be displaceable in a ring-shaped cylinder chamber.

In the case of a general implementation of the invention, the returning of the respective tulip into the raised initial position and/or the holding of the tulip in said initial position is effected mechanically or at least is at least mechanically supported, for example by means of at least one spring element acting as a return spring and/or is cam-controlled.

In the case of another general embodiment of the invention, the returning of the respective tulip into the initial position and the holding of the tulip in said initial position is effected by means of corresponding activation of the at least one cylinder chamber, for example by means of impinging upon said cylinder chamber with negative pressure.

Further developments, advantages and application possibilities of the invention proceed from both the subsequent description of exemplary embodiments and from the Figures. In this case, all described and/or graphically represented features, individually or in arbitrary combination are in principle objects of the invention, irrespective of their summary in the claims or their dependency. The content of the claims is also made a component of the description. The invention is explained below by way of the Figures of exemplary embodiments, in which, in detail:

FIGS. 1 and 2 each show a simplified representation of one of the filler elements of a filling machine of the rotating type together with a container located under the filler element with the tulip of the filler element raised (FIG. 1) and with the tulip of the filler element lowered in a sealing position against the container (FIG. 2);

FIGS. 3 and 4 show representations as in FIGS. 1 and 2 with another embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show representations as in FIGS. 1 and 2 with another embodiment of the invention.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 the reference 1 is given to the filling positions of a filling machine of the rotating type for the filling, for example pressure filling, of containers in the form of cans 2 with a liquid product. The fill station 1, which is located together with a plurality of identical type fill stations on the periphery of a rotor 3 that can be driven in a rotating manner about a vertical machine axis, essentially comprises a filler element 4 provided on the periphery of the rotor 3 and a container carrier 5 provided below the filler element 4, on which container carrier the can 2 to be filled is located in each case, standing upright, i.e. oriented with its can axis in the vertical direction, with the can opening 2.1 facing upward and with the can bottom 2.2 standing on the container carrier 5 that is realized as a plate. A liquid channel 7 is realized in the housing 6 of the filler element 4 in a known manner, said liquid channel communicating with a tank (not represented) that is provided at the rotor 3 via a liquid connection (not represented either), said tank being filled during the filling process with the liquid product to be filled into the cans 2 and from which the liquid product is supplied to the individual filler elements 4, as is known to the expert of filling machines of the rotating type.

For the controlled release of the liquid product into the can 2 to be filled in each case via the discharge opening 8, which is provided on the underside of the filler element 4 facing the container carrier 5, a controlled liquid valve 9 is provided in the liquid channel 7, said liquid valve essentially comprising a valve body 10 that interacts with a valve seat, said valve body being formed on a valve plunger 11, which is moveable up and down in the direction of the vertical filler element axis FA in a controlled manner for opening and closing the liquid valve 9 (double arrow A). FIG. 1 shows the liquid valve 9 in the closed state. FIG. 2 shows the liquid valve 9 in the open state. An open gas channel 12 is also realized in the valve plunger 11 at the bottom end of said plunger, said gas channel being a component of at least one controlled gas path.

At a bottom portion 6.1 of the housing 6, having among other things also the discharge opening 8 and being realized on the outside surface in a cylindrical circular manner concentrically relative to the axis FA, a tulip 13 is provided so as to be displaceable in the direction of the axis (FA) by a predetermined travel (double arrow B). In the case of the embodiment represented, the tulip 13 is substantially ring-shaped or sleeve-shaped. The tulip 13, for this reason, is provided with a ring seal 14 at its bottom, open end 13.1 or at the end face at that location, which, at least with the tulip raised (FIG. 1), surrounds, at a spacing, a part portion 6.2 of the housing 6 that has the discharge opening 9, said ring seal forming a container contact surface and the tulip 13 abutting against the edge (mouth edge) of the can opening 2.1 in a sealing position by means of said ring seal during the filling process, as is shown in FIG. 2.

By means of a compression spring 15 surrounding the housing portion 6.1, the tulip 13 is pre-stressed into the raised initial position represented in FIG. 1, in which the bottom end 13.1 of the tulip 13 is at a spacing from the respective can 2 or from the edge of the can opening 2.1 in the vertical direction, i.e. the tulip end 13.1 is situated above the can opening 2.1. For accommodating the compression spring 15, the tulip 13 is provided on the inside surface with a ring-shaped recess 16, in which the compression spring 15 is supported by way of its top end against a wall section of the tulip 13 that defines the recess 16 at that location and by way of its bottom end against a flange or collar 17 that extends into the recess 16 and is formed at the housing portion 6.1. The collar 17 at the same time also serves as a stop member that defines the lifting movement of the tulip 13 upward and, to this end, interacts with a bottom defining surface of the recess 16.

A distinct feature of the filler element 4 now is that the tulip 13 is realized as an annular piston and for this purpose extends by way of its top end 13.2 into a ring-shaped cylinder chamber 18 in the housing 6 and is guided so as to be displaceable axially in a sealing manner into said cylinder chamber 18, i.e. in the direction of the axis FA, by using two piston seals 19 and 20 that surround the axis FA in a concentric manner, of which two seals the seal 19 is an inner seal and the seal 20 is an outer seal, which concentrically surrounds the axis FA as well as also the inner seal 19 that is located on the identical axis as said axis.

A control channel 22 realized with a valve arrangement 21 opens out into the cylinder chamber 18, by means of which control channel the cylinder chamber 18 can be impinged upon in a controlled manner via the control valve arrangement 21 with a pressure medium, preferably with a compressible pressure medium, e.g. with a gaseous and/or vaporous pressure medium, for example with compressed air (preferably sterile compressed air), for moving the tulip 13 in opposition to the effect of the compression spring 15 out of the raised position into the lowered position and for pressing the tulip 13 with the ring seal against the mouth edge of a can 2 to be filled. In addition, a controlled relieving or ventilating of the cylinder chamber 18 is possible via the control valve arrangement 21 such that, in particular at the end of the respective filling process, the tulip 13 is moved back into its raised initial position through the effect of the compression spring 15.

The control valve arrangement 21, for example, is formed by a three/two-way valve or corresponds with regard to its function to a three/two-way valve, such that the cylinder chamber 18 is connected in one state of the control valve arrangement 21 via a line 23 to a source for the pressure medium and in another state of the control valve arrangement 21 to a ventilating line 24, it also being possible for said ventilating line, for example, to be a vacuum or negative pressure line.

The tulip 13 of each filler element 4 or the tulips 13 of a smaller group of filler elements 4 are individually controllable via the control valve arrangement 21. To this end, the control valve arrangement 21 is thus provided individually on the rotor 3 for each filler element 4 or for a smaller group of filler elements.

It is obvious that the valve arrangement 21, or the three/two-way valve, for example forming said valve arrangement, is developed such that it can be actuated by a central control device (computer) of the filling machine.

In order to avoid, in particular, an ingress of liquid product into the gap formed between the outside surface of the housing portion 6.1 and the inside surface of the tulip 13 and in particular also into the space formed by the recess 16, a sealing ring 26, realized in the embodiment represented as a lip seal, is provided on the inside surface of the tulip 13 below the recess 16 in an annular groove 25 surrounding the axis FA in a concentric manner at that location, said sealing ring abutting against the outside surface of the housing portion 6.1.

The filling of the cans 2 by way of the filler element 4 is carried out in principle such that at a container or can inlet of the filling machine, each can 2 to be filled is positioned onto the container carrier 5 of the respective fill station 1 in such a manner that the axis of the can 2 is located on the identical axis or a substantially identical axis as the axis FA. The cylinder chamber 18 is pressureless, the tulip 13 is accordingly situated in its raised position and the liquid valve 9 is closed (FIG. 1). To introduce the filling process, with the liquid valve 9 still closed, the cylinder chamber 18 is impinged upon with the pressure of the pressure medium through corresponding actuation of the valve arrangement 21. The tulip 13 is moved downward in the direction of the axis FA through the pressure in the cylinder chamber 18 such that the annular seal 14 comes to rest against the opening edge of the can 2 that is standing on the container carrier 5. Through the slightly truncated cone-shaped embodiment of the bottom tulip end 13.1 and also of the annular seal 14, there is also a defined aligning of the can 2 relative to the filler element 4 in this case. With the cylinder chamber 18 continuing to be impinged upon with pressure, the can 2 is, for example, pre-pressurized to fill pressure and then the can 2 is subsequently filled with the liquid product by opening the liquid valve 9. The pressure in the cylinder chamber 18 and consequently also the contact pressure of the annular seal 14 against the opening edge of the respective can 2 are maintained via the pressure line 23 and the valve arrangement 21 up to the end of the respective filling process, i.e. the cylinder chamber 18 is ventilated through corresponding actuation of the valve arrangement 21, i.e. is connected to the ventilating line 24 until the relieving of the filled can 2 to atmospheric pressure or after said relief via a controlled gas channel of the filler element 4.

Advantages of the filler element 4 are, among other things:

-   -   a simplified structural embodiment;     -   a simple adaptation of the contact pressure of the tulip 13         against the respective can 2, for example as a function of the         respective fill pressure;     -   avoidance of mechanical overloading and consequently deforming         of the cans 2 by the tulip 13 having too high a contact         pressure;     -   possibility of adapting and optimising the contact pressure for         adaptation to the mechanical characteristics of the cans 2;     -   reduction of the mass to be moved during actuation, i.e. when         raising and lowering the tulips 13.

A further substantial advantage of the filler element 4 is also that the contact force or the contact pressure are not path-controlled or path-determined and consequently at each filler element 4 of the filling machine during the filling process an optimum sealing position of the relevant can 2 is achieved, independently of tolerances caused by the production process and/or by abrasive wear.

In representations corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIGS. 3 and 4 show a fill station 1 a, which differs from the fill station 1 substantially only in that the movement of the tulip 13 a, corresponding to the tulip 13, into the raised initial position and the holding of the tulip 13 a in this initial position is not effected by a return spring, but by impinging upon the cylinder chamber 18 with a vacuum or negative pressure. The line 24 is connected for this purpose to a vacuum or negative pressure source common to all filler elements 4 a of the filling machine. For raising the tulip 13 a, the cylinder chamber 13 is consequently connected to the line 24 via the valve arrangement 21. This connection is maintained as long as the tulip 31 a is situated in the raised state. For lowering the tulip 13 a and for pressing the annular seal 14 against the mouth edge of the can located on the container carrier 5, the cylinder chamber 18 is impinged upon with pressure by means of corresponding actuation of the valve arrangement 21, i.e. connected to the pressure line 23. An additional advantage of the fill station 1 a or of the filler element 4 a is that the compression spring 15 is not required and consequently in particular neither is a space for accommodating said compression spring, which is difficult to access, among other things, for cleaning purposes.

As a further embodiment of the invention FIGS. 5 and 6 show a fill station 1 b, which, in its turn, is provided with a plurality of identical type fill stations 1 b on the periphery of the rotor 3 that is driveable in a rotating manner about the vertical machine axis. The fill station 1 b or the filler element 4 b at that location only differ essentially from the fill station 1 a in that the returning and holding of the tulip 13 b, corresponding to the tulip 13 or 13 a, is effected mechanically, i.e. in the embodiment represented in a cam-controlled manner. To this end, each filler element has a rod 28, which is oriented with its longitudinal extension parallel to the axis FA and is guided so as to be displaceable in said longitudinal direction at the filler element 4 b or at a plate or guide 27 at that location. Said rod is provided with a freely rotatably mounted control roller 29 in the region of its top end, said control roller interacting with a fixed control cam 30, i.e. a control cam that does not rotate with the rotor 3. The bottom end of the rod 28 is connected in a driving manner to the tulip 13 b via a journal 31, which engages in a recess 32 provided on the outside of said tulip, such that via the control roller 29 and the control cam 30 or through the development of said control cam, it is possible to move the tulip 13 b into its raised initial position and to hold the tulip 13 b in its raised initial position. The pressing of the tulip 13 b or the annular seal 14 against the mouth edge of the respective can 2 standing on the container carrier 5 is effected in this embodiment also by impinging upon the cylinder chamber 18 with the pressure of a pressure medium, wherein in that angular region of the rotational movement of the rotor 3 about the vertical machine axis, into which (angular region) the lowering of the tulip 13 b and pressing of said tulip 13 b against the respective can 2 is necessary for the filling and where applicable pre-pressurizing of the can 2, the control cam 30 obviously has a development that enables said lowering and along which the roller 29 is spaced for example from the control cam 30. As the movement of the tulip 13 b into the raised initial position and the holding of the tulip 13 b in said initial position is effected mechanically, i.e. in a cam-controlled manner, it is possible to impinge upon the cylinder chambers 18 of all the filler elements 4 b constantly with the pressure medium such that the valve arrangements 21 can be dispensed with and in this way a further reduction can be achieved in the time and money spent on the structure of the filling machine. Irrespective of this, however, the pressure in the cylinder chambers 18 is adjustable and/or regulatable such that said pressure, in its turn, can be adapted in an optimum manner to the respective fill pressure and/or to the mechanical characteristics of the cans 2.

The invention has been described above by way of exemplary embodiments. It is obvious that modifications and conversions are possible without departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention.

Thus the invention has been described above by way of filling machines of the rotating type for filling cans 2. Obviously the embodiment according to the invention with corresponding adaptation of the respective tulips 13, 13 or 13 b is also suitable for the filling of other types of containers, for example for the filling of bottles or bottle-like containers. Also in the case of filling machines of this type, the sealing position for the respective container at the filler element is achieved by means of a tulip, which is provided so as to be moveable in the direction of the filler element axis and has the seal pressed against the container mouth, in that said tulip is a piston-cylinder arrangement that can be impinged upon with pressure.

It has also been assumed above that the container carriers 5 form standing surfaces for the container or cans 2 to be filled. Other container carriers are obviously also possible, for example such at which the container to be filled is held in a suspended manner, for example at a container flange that is formed in the region of the container mouth.

LIST OF REFERENCES

-   1, 1 a, 1 b Fill station -   2 Can -   2.1 Can opening or can mouth -   2.2 Can bottom -   3 Rotor -   4, 4 a, 4 b Filler element -   5 Container carrier -   6 Housing -   6.1, 6.2 Housing portion -   7 Liquid channel -   8 Discharge opening -   9 Liquid valve -   10 Valve body -   11 Valve plunger -   12 Gas channel -   13, 13 a, 13 b Tulip -   13.1 Bottom end of the tulip -   13.2 Top end of the tulip -   14 Annular seal -   15 Compression spring -   16 Recess -   17 Collar-like or flange-like portion -   18 Cylinder chamber -   19, 20 Seal -   21 Valve arrangement -   22 Control channel -   23 Pressure line -   24 Ventilating or negative pressure line -   25 Annular groove -   26 Seal -   27 Plate -   28 Control rod -   29 Control roller -   30 Control cam -   31 Journal -   32 Recess -   Double arrow A Travel movement of the valve plunger 11 -   Double arrow B Travel movement of the tulip 13, 14 a or 13 b -   Double arrow C Travel movement of the control rod 28 -   FA Filler element axis 

1-19. (canceled)
 20. A filler element of a filling machine for filling containers, including cans and bottles, with a liquid product, said filler element comprising: at least one discharge opening for the controlled introduction of the liquid product into the container via a container opening that forms an opening edge, at least one container contact surface for the opening edge, the container contact surface being disposed at a tulip, which is moveable, relative to a filler element housing, between a raised initial position and a lowered position, means for moving the tulip between the initial position and the lowered position and for pressing the tulip by way of its container contact surface at a contact pressure against the opening edge of the respective container, wherein the tulip is part of a piston-cylinder arrangement with at least one cylinder chamber exposed to pressure of a pressure medium at least for the generation of the contact pressure.
 21. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the tulip forms the piston of the piston-cylinder arrangement and wherein the tulip is guided so as to be displaceable with at least one part region in the at least one cylinder chamber.
 22. The filler element according to claim 21, wherein the tulip is guided in a cylinder chamber so as to be displaceable along a direction of a filler element axis.
 23. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the tulip forms an annular piston that is axially moveable in a ring-shaped cylinder chamber.
 24. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the tulip is realized with one end that is remote from the at least one container contact surface as part of the piston-cylinder arrangement.
 25. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the tulip is sleeve-shaped or ring-shaped and is provided so as to be displaceable along a filler element axis at a housing portion of the filler element housing encompassing a housing portion.
 26. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the piston-cylinder arrangement or its cylinder chamber is configured for exposure to a negative pressure for moving the tulip into the initial position and/or to hold the tulip in the initial position.
 27. The filler element according to claim 20, further comprising means for the mechanical or cam-controlled moving of the tulip into the initial position and/or for the mechanical or cam-controlled holding of the tulip in the initial position.
 28. The filler element according to claim 20, further comprising spring means for moving or returning the tulip into the initial position and/or for holding the tulip in the initial position.
 29. The filler element according to claim 28, wherein the spring means comprises at least one spring.
 30. The filling element according to claim 29, wherein the at least one spring comprises a compression spring.
 31. The filler element according to claim 28, wherein the tulip is realized at a region surrounding a housing portion of the filler element housing with a recess for accommodating the spring means.
 32. The filler element according to claim 27, further comprising at least one control roller, which is provided at the tulip or is connected in a driving manner to said tulip, for interaction with at least one control cam.
 33. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the cylinder chamber is realized in the filler element housing surrounding a filler element axis and/or a liquid channel for a liquid product.
 34. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the pressure of the pressure medium in the cylinder chamber is controllable or regulatable.
 35. The filler element according to claim 34, wherein the pressure of the pressure medium in the cylinder chamber is regulated as a function of a fill pressure and/or of mechanical characteristics of the container to be filled
 36. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the cylinder chamber is connected to a source for the pressure medium via a controllable valve arrangement for regulating the pressure.
 37. The filler element according to claim 20, wherein the cylinder chamber is selectively connectable to the source for the pressure medium or to a ventilating or vacuum line via a controllable valve arrangement.
 38. The filler element according to claim 37, wherein the cylinder chamber is selectively connectable via a three/two-way valve or via an arrangement that is controlled or operated as a three/two-way valve.
 39. A filling machine for filling containers, including cans or bottles, with a liquid product, said filling machine comprising a plurality of filler elements as recited in claim 20, said filler elements being on a rotor that is driveable in a rotating manner about a vertical machine axis, wherein each filler element has at least one discharge opening for the controlled introduction of the liquid product into the respective container via a container opening that forms an opening edge, at least one container contact surface for the opening edge at a tulip, which is moveable at a filler element housing between a raised initial position and a lowered position, and means for moving the tulip between the initial position and the lowered position and for pressing the tulip by way of its container contact surface at a contact pressure against the opening edge of the respective container.
 40. A filling machine according to claim 39, wherein for controlling the piston-cylinder arrangement, wherein one or more filler elements are defined as groups of filler elements, each group including at least one filler element, and wherein each such group has associated therewith an independent, controllable valve arrangement.
 41. A filling machine according to claim 39, further comprising, for all filler elements or for each group of several filler elements, a device for controlling and/or regulating the pressure in the cylinder chambers of the filler elements. 